Manipulate
by major-nerdino
Summary: Izuku isn't quirkless, not like she once believed. But, with a quirk like hers, she wishes she was. WARNINGS: Graphic and non-graphic depictions of violence and gore - Title is subject to change. - Katsuki x Izuku
1. Chapter One: Manifestation

**Chapter One: Manifestation**

I remember when I feared I would never get a quirk. I remember when I felt like Kacchan's bullying would never end because he would never deem me useful. I was always scared that I would never be able to be a hero like All Might. But, that fear stopped when I found out I had a quirk.

It was a cold summer morning, a little strange and out of the ordinary, but in a world like this you grow used to the abnormal. My body had felt hot and ached for hours, but I still went to school to maintain my attendance. My mum tried to convince me to stay home and I probably should have listened to her. But I didn't, and I guess I reaped the punishment for it.

The first bell had rung and I was running as fast as I could. We were in our first year of elementary school and I honestly loved it; apart from the constant bullying. Learning was a gift that I willingly accepted wholeheartedly.

My teacher frowned at me as I sat down and I couldn't help but flush out of embarrassment for nearly being late. That didn't help with the heat that was coursing through my body.

It wasn't long before the day ended and I was making my way home. I stopped by the park and knelt down to pet a cat when the heat that I had tried to ignore burst. It imploded within my blood vessels and I felt myself being torn apart from the inside. I was in so much pain I couldn't even cry for help. Blood seeped out of my eyes, nose and mouth and I remember choking on the metallic tasting liquid.

I could hear my bones creaking and my skin felt like it would tear at any moment. I thought I was going to die. Kacchan had told me many times before that it would be better if I were to die, as I'm pretty much useless without a quirk. Right then, I couldn't help but agree with him. Maybe it was God punishing me for not having a quirk, or some cruel twist of fate that I did have a quirk, but it was going to kill me anyway.

I was scared and alone, and in so much pain. I wanted to die.

And then it got worse. All thoughts left my mind and I could hardly breathe as electricity coursed through my fingers and toes. The blood had stopped running and had dried up, leaving peeling lines of blood all over my face. The ground no longer felt solid, but instead felt non-existent. I had heard a loud yowl and the snapping of bones and the splatter of blood. I forced open my eyes and had nearly thrown up. Everything within a five metre radius was either levitating or continuously changing shape. But, worst of all was the mangled cat body that had floated near me. I was even more scared and I finally let out a whimper of fear. I didn't know what was happening and I felt endangered.

Then, as if by some miracle or curse, I heard voices. They were familiar and had sent shivers down my spine. The levitating objects then seated themselves back into the ground and the other objects ceased morphing and contorting. I slowly settled back onto the ground and tried to stand up but stumbled onto my hands and knees. I looked down at my hands and cringed.

My fingers were torn and bleeding, black burn marks marring the soft skin.

My thoughts were stopped as Kacchan's voice echoed throughout the empty park.

"Ah, Deku! Just the fucking nerd I was hoping to find! I've been feeling really angry and I need a punching bag." I froze and curled in on myself even more, hiding my bloodied face and body from view. He didn't like that.

"Oi, Deku! Are you ignoring me? I'll show you!" I heard a few explosions as he made his way quickly to me. "Look at me when I'm talking to you, useless bastard!" He fisted his hand into my hair and yanked my head back. His eyes widened as he took in my bloody face and charred hands.

"L-let me go, Kacchan, please." His hand dropped from my tangled, sweaty hair and I slowly staggered to my feet. He took a step back and I could see his small form shaking. He looked scared. I'd never seen him like that before and in turn, it scared me. I reached out a hand toward him, but he stepped back quickly. I retracted my hand and turned away from him, ready to run away in case he started to blow things up like usual.

"W-what happened..?" His voice was quiet and gravelly. The boys behind him had stiffened and stepped back, as if to escape something. I turned my head to face Katsuki and tear slipped down my cheeks. The heat was building up again and the only thing I could say to him was, "help me, please".

I watched as he reached his hand out, reached out for me. It was too late though. An invisible pulse left my body, rocking the playground in its entirety and forcing the three boys to their knees. The heat was back full force and my fingers tingled with that electricity again.

Kacchan got up as soon as the pulse ended and watched as I turned and stumbled out of the park, leaving the mangled cat and terrified boys behind me.

That was the first time I ever used my quirk. It was an accident, and it was terrifying. I told my mother as soon as I got home, explaining to her what happened and she had sat me down on the couch. She told me that it was most likely my quirk, and that I needed to start figuring out how to use it. Start out small, and then work my way up to the harder things. But the thing is, nobody has had this quirk before me. Nobody has been born with the curse that I have been born with.

With nobody who has experience with a quirk that even I know nothing about, I could never learn how to control it. I never learnt how to summon or activate my quirk. But as I got older and started going through puberty, my quirk began activating by itself. It started with small objects levitating and then went on to the neighbours dog in our backyard with its legs and head separated from its body, and strewn over the fence.

It was then that I decided nobody could know. Nobody could know that my quirk was something so dangerous. I had gotten mum to agree not to tell anyone when I first told her. She was reluctant, as she wanted to find help quickly, but I was adamant.

My new fear is that someone will find out about my quirk. My new fear is that I will be taken from my family and tested on. My new fear is that I will no longer be seen as human.


	2. Chapter Two: All Might

**Chapter Two: All Might**

Third year of Middle School

This feeling is bad, but not the worst I've felt. I can't breathe. I'm suffocating and I can't do anything about it. This villain that's forcing his way into my body through every orifice that he can, is mumbling to himself. My eyes are drooping and I can feel my consciousness waning.

"Have no fear! I am here!" The villain stops his liquid body from entering any further, but keeps his body covering my nose and mouth. I force open my eyes and catch sight of blond hair. I would sob if I could, but I can't.

He lifts his fist and draws it back. The air around the three of us changes drastically, coiling itself around him. The thick fluid over my mouth and nose loosens and I immediately rip my head out, taking deep breaths in.

"A-All Might!" I try to tell him to stop, but it's too late. He punches forward and an intense blast of wind knocks the villain back, completely decimating his body. I go flying with him, but a strong hand grasps my uniform, pulling me back to the ground. I can't keep my eyes open any longer, and my lungs are still burning. I hack up a few strands of green fluid and promptly black out.

* * *

A series of gentle pats on my cheek wakes me up. I struggle to sit up, my lungs aching as I move.

"Oh, thank goodness!" All Might grabs my hands and pulls me to my feet. I stumble slightly and steady myself. He turns away and puts up his hands in farewell, but with my swelling emotions, I grab the hem of his shirt.

"Wait! Please." I turn to cough and then face him again. His smile has dimmed slightly but he turns to face me nonetheless.

"I'm in a bit of a hurry..." I shake my head, tears filling my eyes as I try and think of what to say.

"I...I need your help. My quirk. I-" He cuts me off and raises his hands.

"I'm sorry, but I really must go." He pulls out a coffee loyalty card and writes something down, then hands it to me. As I'm reading over it, he leaps away.

I look after him and feel tears drip down my cheeks, "wait.." I look back down at the card and frown slightly.

Toshinori Yagi  
xxx-xxx-xxxx

His name. His number. My eyes widen and I rub away the tears. Heat pulses within my body and I cringe, stuffing the card into my pocket, fisting my hands as tight as I can.

I make my way back home. When I get there, I quickly eat dinner and go straight to bed. I finished my homework during class so I have no need to worry about that. I sleep fitfully. My brain won't stop working and the heat is back, curling up my arms and legs, licking at my spine until I let out a scream. My mum knocks on the door, asking if I'm okay.

"I'm fine ma, go back to bed."

"If you're sure Izu. I love you, goodnight." Her footsteps get quieter and I'm once again left alone. I stare silently at the ceiling. I reach for the card on my bedside table and reread the number. Taking in a deep breath, I pick up my phone and dial it.

"You've reached Toshinori Yagi. What can I do for you?" The voice sounds tired and weary. It puts me on edge and I stumble over my words.

"I-is this All M-Might? You sav-saved me from the sludge vi-villain today."

"Ah, young girl. You wanted to speak about something. What was it?"

I clear my throat, my nerves building. "I wanted to talk to-to you about my quirk. I can't control it. I uhm... I don't know what it is. It happens spontaneously. I uh I need your help. Please. I want to become a hero! I want to help people but-" my voice had risen as I was talking and All Might cuts me off.

"Look, I'm not exactly a mentor. I'm not a teacher. I'm not qualified to help you." My heart sinks and I feel tears sting my eyes again. "But." My heart soars and I'm already nodding my head. "I will try to help you. Skip school tomorrow and meet me at the beach."

"Thank you!" The tears start before I can try to stop them. "Thank you so much."

A gentle knock on my bedroom door shocks me.

"Izuku, you're being very loud. You might wake up the neighbours. You know that Mitsuki hates to be woken up and Katsuki would be very upset as well. Please keep it down, alright?" She walks away slowly, mumbling aloud to herself.

"I will ma!" I turn back to my phone. "I'll see you the beach tomorrow morning, All Might. Thank you again for this opportunity." He bids me farewell and I say goodbye. I throw my phone next to my lamp and curl into myself, excitement all over my face and flowing through my veins.

* * *

My calves burn as I sprint toward the beach. It's filthy; covered with the town's garbage and unwanted appliances. I see All Might's large silhouette in the distance and yell out to him.

"All Might!" A couple further down the beach whips their heads around and I freeze as I stop a few metres away from the larger man.

"Ah, rats, not him! What a shame!" The couple groans in disappointment and I sigh with relief as they walk away. I turn to All Might and let out a short scream. A shorter, frail looking man with sunken in eyes and blood dripping from his mouth stands where All Might had only moments ago. "Uh..."

"It is me! All Mi-" He's cut off when blood drips faster from his open mouth and I panic.

"Oh my god! I have a napkin from breakfast! Ah! Ahh! Oh my god! Mop it up! H-hospital! You need a hospital!" He only laughs loudly and wipes away the blood with the napkin.

"Young girl, what is your name?" I freeze.

"Uh, Izuku Midoriya." All Might claps his hands.

"Right! Young Midoriya, ten laps around the pile of garbage! Go!" I stare at him with a gaping mouth and he claps his hands again. It startles me into jogging. "Faster!" I begin running and soon I'm red-faced and breathing heavily.

"Seven laps to go! We're not leaving until you finish all of them!" I nearly trip when I hear how many I have left to do.

* * *

"Well done young Midoriya!" He claps me on the back and I fall to the ground. "Oh, uh, are you okay?" He pats me on the back a little more gently and I put a thumbs up towards him.

"Right, now what can you tell me about your quirk?" I sit up onto my knees and frown.

"Not much. But, I feel immense heat whenever it's going to activate and electricity runs through my hands. Normally it leaves them charred or burnt. Uh, sometimes it will just makes things change shape for a while, or it might tear living things apart. It depends on how emotionally unstable I am at the time. Like I said, I can't control it at all." I look up to All Might and he looks pensive.

"Well, it looks like your quirk is rather powerful. It will be useful for you in the future when you're aiming to become a hero! I will help you train and hopefully you will learn to control and activate your quirk on your own. You'll need to learn some self-restrain when it comes to your emotions. You can't let them rule you." I nod along with him.

"You will be an impressive hero, Izuku Midoriya. And I will be honoured to train you." Tears well in my eyes once more, and I slam my hands down into the sand.

"I'll make you proud, All Might! I promise you."


	3. Chapter Three: One For All

**℘Chapter Three: One For All℘**

 _End of Third Year of Middle School_

The final bell. The whole class is waiting for it. The teacher shakes his head and shoves the stack of papers on his desk, into the bin. "Alright kids, just go home. No point in waiting around for the bell. It'll probably be late like it always is." I reach for my bag and toss my hair over my left shoulder. I hitch the straps over my shoulders and sprint out of the sliding door and down the hallway.

"Well, looks like Midoriya is eager to start the holidays."

My feet pound against the concrete and I can't shake off my grin. All Might's short figure soon comes into view and I race into his open arms. He stumbles but catches himself. I let go of him and we begin walking back to my house.

We're both silent as we walk. My happiness from finishing Middle school is waning as I think of a way to bring up the topic. I rub my sweaty hands along my skirt and fiddle with the hemline.

"A-All mi-" I begin, but I'm cut off with a wave of his hand.

"You know you can call me by my actual name, right?" I nod and look toward the ground.

"Toshinori, I've uh decided about the exam." His head whips around so fast I'm honestly scared his neck will snap.

"And?! What's your decision?" I pull at my sleeves and look up at his hopeful face. I feel tears well up in my eyes and blink them back. I don't want to disappoint him.

"I've... I've decided not to do the hero course exam. I'll only be taking the general studies exam. I've got the best grades out of every student in all levels of education I've completed so far, so it'll be easy to get in! But uhm, the reason why I've decided not to is because I'm not confident. I'm not confident in my ability to control my quirk. I know you've been training me for years now, but I'm scared." Toshinori holds up his hand and I close my mouth, turning to face the little children playing in the park.

"I understand where you're coming from, Izuku, I really do. But, you're stronger than you think. I've watched you develop over the past three or so years and I can assure you that you've nearly mastered your quirk. But, if you're certain of your choice, maybe there is one thing I can give you to make you change your mind." I turn back to him with questions filling my brain to the brim. I open my mouth to start asking, but we've reached my house.

Mum comes running out of the house, shoes hurriedly put on and she throws herself at us both, wrapping us in her arms in a warm hug.

"There's my big girl! I'm so proud of you honey! Oh, Yagi, why don't you stay for dinner? I've made a big feast since Izuku's graduated!" I look at Toshi and see he's smiling weakly. He's got other things to do, but he wants to, so I force him into the house. He grins back at me and we take a seat at the dining table.

"So, Izu, have you decided?" I look up at mum as she bustles around the kitchen, fetching plates and cutlery. I look back down at the table and chew nervously on my lip.

"Yeah, I'm gonna take the general studies exam." Everything is silent. Then there's the clang of cutlery as it smacks against the benchtop.

"Izuku! What do you mean?! General studies? But you've been working so hard to get into the hero course! Why on earth have you decided to change courses?" I look up at her. Mum's face is confused and filled with concern. This surprises me because she's been against me taking the hero exam since day one.

"I'm not ready. I'm not good enough with my quirk yet. I need to train more so I can become better!" She nods slowly and picks up the cutlery again, bringing everything over to the table. She passes out plates, knives and forks and then begins serving the food.

After dinner Toshinori leaves with no mention of our conversation earlier. I wonder if he meant what he said.

* * *

 _Before the Entrance Exam_

The sunrise is pretty this morning. You can see it clearly at the beach since I cleared all the garbage away. It was hard work, but it payed off because I'm stronger now. I turn to Toshi and watch as he plucks out a long strand of blond hair. He turns to me and I fiddle with the fraying ends of my sweater sleeve.

"Izuku Midoriya, what I am about to offer you is sacred and not something to be taken lightly. Over the three years you have been training, I have been gauging your strength and I believe you're strong enough to take this." I cock my head in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"You know my quirk, One For All. Well, it was not mine to begin with. In fact, I was quirkless before receiving One For All. It is a quirk that has been cultivated by many before me and, if you will take it, will be passed down to you." I stare at Toshinori in shock. Quirkless? All Might? Passed down to me?

"W-what?" I can't wrap my head around it fast enough.

"You will have my quirk, if you want it. All you have to do is consume some of my DNA. This strand of hair will do fine. I know this is confusing, and I'm sorry I'm not very good at explaining things." I shake my head and reach out for the strand of hair.

"So if I, uh, eat this? I'll receive your quirk?" He nods his head and I frown slightly. Do I really deserve the power that he's offering me? I'm honoured that he's giving me the option, but should I take it?

"You should take it. This will help you become a hero, Izuku." I look down at the hair and close my eyes. I force the hair into my mouth, although my entire body is trying to reject it. I manage to swallow it down without water. I rub at the dried tears on my cheeks and wave goodbye to Toshi.

* * *

My eyes widen as the largest of the droids makes it way closer to the large group of exam participants. I hear a yell and my gaze narrows down onto the girl the saved me from falling over earlier this morning. Her face is filled with terror and I notice why. Half her body is stuck under a fallen piece of debris and the robot is getting closer. I rush forward, running as fast as I can and I make it in front of her as the robot's foot is coming down. I cover my face with my arms and try and cover the girl underneath me. As the droid's foot is a hairsbreadth away, everything stops and they all shutdown. I look up in confusion and slowly help the girl out from under the debris.

"A-are you okay?" She smiles gently at me and nods, not able to speak as she's holding back bile. I smile back and watch as she walks away.

My smile drops as I realize I didn't get any points whatsoever. I failed the exam.

* * *

We're allowed to leave after everyone has been accounted for and checked for injuries. I meet up with Toshi and he walks me home. I don't cry in front of him, I don't let myself. But, as soon as I'm in my room, away from mum and Toshinori, I cry. I hole myself up under my sheets and I cry loudly. I know mum wants to comfort me, but I honestly just need space, so I send her a text.

 _6:47 PM_

 _Izuku_

 _I love you but please leave me alone for now. I'm not hungry, so don't worry about dinner for me_

I'm shocked. I honestly thought I could do it. I thought I could at least get one point! But I guess I'm useless after all.


	4. Chapter Four: General Studies

**℘Chapter Four: General Studies℘**

 _First Day of High School_

I was right when I said I'd be able to get into the general studies course. It was easy. But even though I'm going to Yuuei, it isn't the hero course so I can't help but feel disheartened.

I run a hand through my hair and push it back, away from my face. I don't notice I'm falling until it's too late. I land on my shoulder and wince as I feel it grind against the concrete. Someone is hovering over me almost immediately. I open my eyes and sit up slowly. The first thing I notice is his bright purple hair. It's sticking up, obviously jelled into oblivion but it somehow suits him. Next thing I take in, is his serious eye-bags. The guy looks like he hasn't gotten any sleep since he was born.

He holds out his hand and I take it with a greatful smile. He pulls me up and I dust my skirt and blazer off with rough pats.

"Sorry about that! I wasn't watching where I was going." I rake a hand through my hair again and laugh sheepishly. The boy shakes his head with a slight smile.

"All good. You're not hurt are you?" I shake my head and he sighs softly. "I'm Hitoshi Shinsou." He holds out his hand again and I take it.

"My name is Izuku Midoriya. Thank you for helping me. So which department are you from?" Shinsou shrugs nonchalantly.

"General Studies, you?"

"Same! What class are you in?" We continue walking into the building as we talk.

"1C." He doesn't look like he's too interested in conversation, so I refrain from asking him any more questions. He turns to me and frowns slightly. "You aren't going to exclaim 'same' again? Or are you in a different class?" I look at him as I notice the first year classroom are coming up.

"Oh, uhm...I'm actually not in most first year classes. I should be but my grades got me boosted to some third year subjects. Although I think I'm still technically considered a first year." His eyes widen slightly, I guess I impressed him.

"So you have first or third year homeroom?" I brighten slightly.

"I have first year homeroom! In 1C coincidentally." I give him a grin filled with mirth and he returns it slightly.

We reach 1C and I open the door. We walk in and take a seat. I turn behind me to Shinsou and rest my elbows on his desk.

"So, can I ask what your quirk is?" He shrugs but doesn't move.

"How about I show you?" I nod slowly, intrigued.

"What's your favourite colour?" I don't even have to think about it. It's been my favourite colour for so long.

"Red." My whole body stiffens and relaxes at the same time. I go to move but my body won't. No, not that it won't. It can't. I can't blink or close my slightly agape mouth. I can't wriggle my toes. It feels like I'm suffocating. This reminds me of the sludge villain. Not a comfortable thought.

"Curl your hands into ears on top of your head and go 'nya'." My body moves instantly and I feel embarrassment curl up my spine.

"Nya." My cheeks heat up and I want to put my arm down. Shinsou pulls out his phone and takes a photo. Suddenly my body sags and I take a deep breath of air in. I rub my arms firmly and give Shinsou a curious stare.

"So you have a brainwashing quirk?" He nods and I nod with him.

"What's your number?" I list it to him, confused.

"Why didn't you just ask me whilst I was brainwashed?" He shakes his head, his eyes firm.

"That is improper use of my quirk. Without your consent I'd feel really disgusted in myself." I suddenly see him in a new light. He looks older than he is in this moment. His quirk isn't something he wants, that's obvious, but he's dealing with it better than I ever have. He's using it to help himself and others. To become a hero.

"You're incredible, Shinsou!" I watch as his cheeks bloom red and give him a cheery smile as the teacher walks in. I turn back to the front as wait until homeroom is over.

 _Two Months Later_

"Hitoshi! Hi-Hitoshi!" I sprint up to him, red-faced and panting heavily as I tug on his sleeve.

"Yes Izuku?" He stops walking and turns to face me. I stand up straight and run a hand through my wild curls, wincing as my fingers tangle up in the knots. I carefully untangle my fingers. and begin talking.

"I heard people talking about the sports festival and I overhead quite a few people saying that if you manage to impress the judges enough, then you'll be able to transfer to the hero course! Isn't that incredible? We can get in!" My whole body is vibrating from the excitement coursing through my veins. Hitoshi's face is free of the neutral look he normally sports and now he's got a large grin gracing his features. He's just as excited as I am.

He snaps his fingers and thumps me on the head. "Ouch, what the fuck?" He looks at me with an eyebrow raised at the swear word and I rub at my sore head. "What's your idea?"

"Let's go check out the hero course students!" I roll my eyes. Scoping out the competition.

"I guess." We walk across campus toward the main building where the hero classes are taught.

Shinsou whistles at the grandness of the whole area and I can't help but gawk. I've never bothered to visit the hero building before so it's all new to me. The glass door slide open as we arrive at them and the receptionist doesn't even cast us a glance.

We make our way through the glistening hallways until we reach the first year classrooms. I give a gentle knock on class 1A's door and step behind Hitoshi as we wait for someone to answer. The door opens and the girl from the exam stands in front of us. She eyes Hitoshi with suspicion but once she spots me, a smile breaks onto her face.

"Oh hello! I haven't seen you since the exam! My name is Ochaco Uraraka." She sticks out her hand and I take it, stepping next to Hitoshi.

"I'm Izuku Midoriya. This is Hitoshi Shinsou. It's nice to meet you Ochaco." I smile at her and she suddenly turns around.

"Iida! Come over here!" A tall boy with glasses appears next to Ochaco and I take a slight step behind Hitoshi again. "This is the girl who protected me from being crushed!" I flush slightly and bury my face into Hitoshi's back for a moment.

"I-it was nothing! I just did what anyone else would do." I look up at them and Iida is shaking his head.

"Not necessarily. Everyone else was so focused on gaining points or keeping themselves safe, that they weren't thinking of the safety of others. You're different though." I smile slightly and nod my head in thanks.

Ochaco ducks back into the classroom and swivels her head around before returning to the door. "Looks like Bakugou is late for class so why don't you come on in?" I nod and drag Shinsou by the arm into the classroom.

Everyone looks at us as we enter and I feel a bit self conscious but steel myself and raise a hand in introduction. "Hi, I'm Izuku Midoriya." Hitoshi shoves his hands into his pockets and stands intimidatingly behind me.

"I'm Hitoshi Shinsou." The girls from the class slowly flock around me.

"You're really cute Izuku."

"Your skin is so clear!"

"Your hair is so tangled! Let me grab my hairbrush." I look between them and Shinsou, silently pleading for help. He just smirks and makes his way towards the boys.

Ochaco places a hand onto my shoulder and smiles gently. "Allow me to introduce everyone, okay?" I nod quickly.

"Okay over there by your buddy is Denki, Eijiro, Fumikage, Minoru, Shouto, Mashirao, Yuga, Mezo, Koji, Hanta and Rikido. There's a lot of them, I know. Oh yeah and Tenya. Katsuki is still not here but he's another boy in 1A. Now the girls! Tsuyu, Mina, Momo, Toru, Kyoka and myself!" My head is spinning but I try and remember every name she tells me. As Ochaco is talking, the pink girl from before comes back, hairbrush in hand.

"Now, let's tame your hair." She grabs a chair and sits me down. Her fingers card through my hair and I lean into the gentle touch. Then the brush goes through and I yelp and my scalp begins to burn.

"H-Hitoshi!" I try to get away, but the pink girl keeps me firmly in place.

"Trust me, you'll be thanking me for this afterwards. By the way, I'm Mina. Ochaco mentioned my name among everyone else's, but I thought I'd help differentiate." Hitoshi comes to stand by my side and pats me on the shoulder.

"They've all got incredibly strong quirks. Quite a humorous bunch as well. But that Mineta kid. Don't like him. Real pervert." Mina snorts from behind me.

"Understatement of the fucking year." She soon finished with my hair and I hear her squeal. "Oh my god I knew it! Your hair is so bloody soft. I could cuddle you all day long." Her fingers run through the strands continuously. Not long after, the other girls are taking turns for a feel. Even a few of the boys come over to just touch or talk.

"You should grow it longer, then we'll all have more to feel and touch." I disagree with Ochaco.

"No, I like it shorter. It doesn't get in my way when I'm training or writing. And I don't molt." I run my own hands through the short, curly strands and sigh at the soft texture. I turn back to Mina and smile at her. "Thank you." She just grins back.

I turn to Hitoshi and we nod. Homeroom will be starting in a few minutes and we need to get back to the general studies building.

"Sorry guys, but we need to head back. It was nice to meet you all! I'm glad you all like my hair and I hope we can hang out again soon." I wave and Hitoshi follows close behind me. I reach the door and open it, only to run into someone. I look up at them, an apology on my tongue but when I see who it is, my whole body freezes up.

"Kacchan?"


	5. Chapter Five: Katsuki Bakugou

**℘Chapter Five: Katsuki Bakugou℘**

"Kacchan?" My voice is a whisper, but it's loud enough for the boy in front of me to hear. He looks down at me, a confused glare gracing his features.

"Who the fuck are you? Why the fuck are you calling me Kacchan? Who the fuck do you think you are?" He looms over me, bringing back painful childhood memories I'd rather keep locked away. What hurts though, is that he doesn't remember me.

"W-was I so useless that you forgot me? I thought I meant a li-little more to you, I guess not." I push passed him and stride down the hallway, Hitoshi not far behind. As we're walking back, a loud series of explosions go off and I shake my head.

"Still the same old Katsuki." Hitoshi gives me a confused look and I give him a smile in return.

"Are you okay?" I nod and then shake my head. I shoves my head back and slap my hands onto my cheeks with a loud groan. Passing students stare but I ignore them in favour for thinking about what just happened. Hitoshi sighs and pulls me into a hug. I nuzzle into his chest and frown at the firmness. It's not very comfortable, but I'm greatful for the hug anyway.

I pull away and grin up at him. "Thanks 'Tosh." The warning bell sounds and we both start sprinting across the campus.

 _Katsuki Bakugou_

"Kacchan?" Her voice is soft, softer than any of the girls in my class. It flicks a switch in my memories, but I just can't tap into it. I have to admit, for a girl, she's pretty fucking cute. Her hair looks soft and fluffy. I refrain from reaching out to touch it and instead ask her who she is.

"Who the fuck are you? Why the fuck are you calling me Kacchan? Who the fuck do you think you are?" My rage builds as I ask each question and I can see she's scared of me. Good.

Fuck! She looks so familiar, but who the fuck is she? My memory is providing nothing at all, other than I should probably remember her.

"W-was I so useless that you forgot me?" Useless? What the fuck is she on about? "I thought I meant a i-little more to you, I guess not." Meant more to me? I don't even remember who she is, now she's claiming that she's useless but important to me?! She's not making any sense! I go to ask her what she means, but she pushes passed me and down the hallway. Her purple-haired friend shoves me with his shoulder, a nasty glare aimed at me. I scowl back at him and raise my hand, little explosions going off as a threat.

When they're both out the door I let my rage loose and blow up the nearest piece of furniture. A chair with a hairbrush sitting on it. Not anymore. Ashido yelps loudly and slaps me on the back of the head.

"That was my favourite hairbrush, you ass!" I shrug angrily and sit down. I wait for Aizawa to get here and try to wrack my brain for anything about that girl. God she's fucking adorab-familiar. Familiar. She's really familiar. I think back to my childhood and notice a little girl that would follow me and my friends around constantly. Huh, she looks a lot like De-

"Bakugou, if you could direct your attention to the front, that'd be great." I whip my head to face the teacher and scowl. Fuck, where was I? Ugh!

 _A Few Weeks Later_

 _Izuku Midoriya_

I stare up at the sky, watching the soft clouds pass. Hitoshi turns his head to me and huffs softly.

"I've been meaning to ask you, but I don't wanna open old wounds." I look at him and shrug.

"Go ahead, ask. What's up?" He sits up and plucks a few flowers, twining them together.

"The guy, the blond with the crazy red eyes." He grabs a few more flowers and adds them in. "How do you know him?" He reaches further away to grab a few yellow ones. "Why doesn't he remember you?" Hitoshi finishes it off and places the colourful flower crown on top of my head as I slowly sit up. I smile at him and settle it into my hair a little more.

"Katsuki Bakugou. A...childhood friend from kindergarten and elementary. We went to all the same schools. We even live next to each other to this day." Hitoshi's eyebrows rise and I giggle. "I know, it's wild that he doesn't have a clue as to who I am. I've been thinking about it recently actually, and I've come to a slight hypothesis. But, I guess I should tell you about what happened." Hitoshi leans back onto his hands and nods for me to continue.

"It started with my quirk. It uh, manifested late. I'd spent all of kindergarten quirkless and got shit for it from Katsuki and his friends. Before then, we were best friends, always together. We were so close. But, without a quirk, I was useless. I couldn't keep myself safe and I couldn't even hope to defy him. That's when the bullying started. It kept going for quite a while." I take a deep breath and look up at the sky again, fiddling with the flower crown.

"You'd think that young children would be more accommodating toward those different to them, but Katsuki and his bunch were always special in that respect. Mum took me to the doctor, and he was confused. All the signs were pointing to me developing a quirk. The toe joint and everything! It just wasn't happening though. Then, one day, it happened. My quirk just...happened. It wasn't sudden. It was so fucking painful 'Tosh, so painful. A first year elementary school kid with electricity running through them that they can't control. The thing about my quirk, is that it affects me badly if not kept under control."

Hitoshi frowns and urges me to continue.

"But, my quirk is not an electrical one. It just so happens that because it affects me, my body screws around if I don't concentrate. 'Tosh, I need you to understand that only two people know about my quirk, the one I've had since elementary. My mother and All Might." I take a deep breath and exhale. Hitoshi gives my back a soothing rub. "My quirk is the ability to manipulate matter. I can do anything with everything, and everything with anything. But, as I told you before, it also affects me. I can deform my body inside and out." I hold my tongue and wait for Hitoshi's response.

He looks pensive. "Can...can you show me?" My eyes widen and I feel a cold sweat form on my brow.

"I-I can try." He nods and I take a few deep breaths. I lock my gaze onto a large rock a few metres away from us and it slowly rises. It comes toward us and slowly morphs into a liquid. I hold the liquid in the air, allowing it to swim around Hitoshi. His eyes are wide and his mouth is agape. He looks at me, awed.

"I can't believe this. It's beautiful." I flush and suddenly the liquid scatters, spraying the nature around us. It hardens upon impact with the ground as my brain goes a bit haywire.

"It's not beautiful. Imagine if that was a human! I've accidentally killed animals. My quirk is not beautiful, Hitoshi. But, I'm glad you know."

"How did you not pass the exams? You would've gotten the most points in the exam!" I freeze.

"I uh, I didn't use my quirks during the exam. You know how I told you All Might gave me his quirk before the exam? Yeah well I had no idea how to use it or activate it, so that lead nowhere. I'm so confident with my first quirk, so that also lead to nothing. Thus, I got no points and failed the exam." He nods his head and then snaps his fingers and thumps me on the head. I frown.

"You need to stop doing that whenever you think of something." He ignores me.

"You haven't told me your theory as to why Katsuki doesn't remember you." I sigh and tug on the ends of my hair.

"When we were in our first year of elementary school, I got my quirk. But, after I accidentally used it for the first time, Katsuki and his goons stopped by the park where I was. During the use of my quirk, I accidentally killed a cat. Its bloody body was on the floor near me. My own blood covered my face. It dripped out of eyes, mouth, nose and ears. My fingers were charred from my quirk messing with the electrical signals in my body and turning them into real electricity that charred my fingertips. Imagine being so young and seeing something so disgustingly disturbing. Your body would naturally want to forget such a traumatic event. I believe that's what happened to Kacch-Katsuki."

Hitoshi is silent. I look up at him and he's pale, paler than usual. I reach for him and he swats my hand away. I freeze and fall back. Hitoshi seems to realize what he just did, but I've already understood how he feels. He's scared.

"Izuku, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. Come here." No. No. No. "Izuku, come here."

"I can't. What if I hurt you?" He shakes his head.

"You won't. I didn't push you away because I'm scared of you. I was stuck in thought. I'm not afraid of you. Now, come here." I reluctantly clamber over to him and curl up on his lap, allowing him to comfort me.

"I'm so scared of myself, 'Tosh." He pets my hair and presses his forehead to my temple.

"I know. But, you shouldn't be. We'll work on it. I'll help you conquer your fear, Izuku."


	6. Chapter Six: Thank You

℘Chapter Six: Thank You℘

A Week Before the Sport Festival

"Awww man I'm so tired! I've been training crazy hard and I honestly just need a good coffee." Mina throws her arms over my shoulders and I stumble slightly under the added weight.

"How's about we go to Starbucks?" My suggestion perks her up and she claps her hands.

"Brilliant idea Izuku!" She skips ahead of me for a few steps before stopping and turning on her heel. "Let's go invite everyone else!"

"Sounds good. Wanna send the group chat a text?" She nods and whips out her phone. Her fingers dash across the screen and soon she's shoving her phone back into her pocket.

"I told them to meet us in the front garden area if they wanna come with." She begins walking again, in the opposite direction, and I follow.

When we arrive at the front gates, we walk in and take a seat on the grass under a large tree.

"Tbh I don't even wanna wait for anybody. I just really want a coffee." I laugh and shake my head.

"Yeah I know, Mina. But it'll be nice to catch up with everyone. It's been so long since I've hung out with all of class A all together!" Mina frowns slightly.

"It's been like two weeks. And plus, you've never hung out with Mineta or Bakugou so you haven't really hung out with the entire class all together." I give it some thought. She's right, Kacchan and Mineta are also in the class. But, I'm not fond of the small perverted ball boy and Kacchan... well he's not so fond of anyone. Not knowing who I am anymore must really irk him. He's always been the type to become angry and frustrated when the answer isn't obvious.

"I guess you're right. But do you honestly think that Mineta will be staying in 1A after the sports festival? Because I don't." I drops my back onto the ground with a thud and stare up at the sky. It's getting cooler and the leaves are starting to change colours. Mina lies down next to me after putting her jacket under her. I giggle softly. Always one to protect her outfit.

"Yeah, probs not. His Quirk isn't very useful in most situations." She stretches out her arms. "Maybe you'll take his place. Either you or Shinsou. His Quirk is pretty cool." I nod along, trying not to engage in her Quirk talk.

Luckily, Denki and Eijiro walk up to us.

"Hey guys! Where's everybody else?" Denki's eyes are wide as he looks behind the tree before sitting down and pulling Eijiro with him.

Mina takes out her phone again and sends the group another text before responding. "Not here yet." He whines loudly and flops over Kirishima's lap.

"Calm down Denki, I'm sure they'll be here any minute!" I give his blond hair a affectionate ruffle but he continues to pout.

As if summoned by his bad mood, Iida and Ochako walk up to us, hands tightly clasped and swinging between them. Tsuyu trails behind them, holding hands with a girl with wild red hair and the head of a reptile.

"Hi everybody! Is this everyone, or are we waiting for more people?" Ochako sits down next to me and Iida sits behind her, his hands instantly going to fiddle with her hair.

"I'm not sure, people are just sorta coming here. By the way Tsu, who's your friend?" Everybody turns to stare at the stranger.

"This is my girlfriend, Habuko Mongoose." The girl raises a hand in greeting.

"Nice to meet you!"

"Cool hair, dude! Is it natural?"

"Oh uhm yes it is natural."

"Wicked! Mine is too! Wanna feel?" The girl leans over slowly, reaching a hand toward Kirishima's hair. She instantly pulls her hand back when she feels the hardened hair.

"I-is it always that hard?!" He and Denki burst into laughter.

"Nah, just my quirk!" She nods, still nervous around us all.

I hear more people coming and throw a hand over my eyes. "A picnic would probably be nice with everybody here."

"What was that Izuku?" I sit up quickly.

"I just had a great idea! Let's have a picnic!" The girls and Iida are quick to agree to the idea, but Kaminari and Kirishima complain that they only wanted coffee so they could continue to game.

"Come on guys! This'll probably be the last time we all will get together before the festival. Don't you wanna do something fun? Plus autumn is coming and the nice weather will be gone before you know it!" I throw myself onto Denki's stomach and he begrudgingly agrees, Eijiro agreeing not long after.

"Alright! So since Mina was so desperate for coffee, do you wanna take Kaminari and Izuku to go buy everyone a cup?" Ochako begins listing off jobs for everyone to complete so the picnic will be a success.

Just as Mina, Denki and I are about to leave, Hitoshi and Todoroki arrive together. I beckon them over. "We're having a group picnic. Wanna come get the coffee with us?" They shrug and nod and we make our way to the nearest Starbucks, our phones holding everybody's orders.

* * *

With my hands full carrying a tray of coffee, I push open the store door with my butt. I hold it open for my friends as they wobble passed me, their hands also filled with coffees. I go to step away from the door but stumble slightly. A large hand grabs my waist and another grabs the small cardboard tray of coffee from my hands. I look up to my saviour.

"Thank yo- Kacchan?" He stills at my voice and instantly steps back. "Oh ah, thank you for saving me just now." He just stiffly nods his head, looking to the side slightly. I think back to what Mina said. "Hey uhm Kac-Bakugou, Hitoshi, myself and some of the people from your class are going to have a picnic. Would you like to join us?" His gaze whips back to me and I flush under his intense stare.

"I guess it doesn't sound too fucking terrible." I grin up at him and put up a finger to gesture he wait a moment.

I run up to Mina and the others. "I just bumped into Ka-Bakugou. I invited him to the picnic and he said yes. I'll just wait for him to grab a coffee and then meet up with you guys and the rest at the park?" Mina's black eyes are wide with shock but she nods her head anyways and gives me a wink goodbye.

I jog back to Kacchan and try to take the tray of coffees from his hands but he just shakes me off.

"Order me one and carry it instead. Hurry up." I happily nod and do as he says.

* * *

Walking with Kacchan is different now than how it used to be. Instead of him insisting he be up in front, leading the charge, he matches pace with me. He keeps his head down, one hand holding the coffees and the other shoved into his pocket.

It leaves me feeling strangely content.

It doesn't take long before we arrive at the park and it's definitely not hard to find the group. Nine people with food and drinks who don't know the meaning of quiet would likely attract attention. Plus Kacchan and I it makes eleven. Thank god the park is pretty much empty.

I grab Kacchan's wrist and pull him to sit next to me. Hitoshi sends me a knowing look and I shrug indiscreetly. My purple haired friend stands up and sits back down next to me.

I take the coffee tray from Kacchan and give him his own coffee instead. He mutters a thank you and I basically preen under it. It's nice to hear him being so kind. Strange, but nice.

Hitoshi takes his coffee and mine, putting them to the side before assisting me in handing out the rest.

* * *

I look around at the others from my spot in a tree a short bit away. Tsuyu is sitting below the tree with her girlfriend, talking animatedly about something. Ochako is arm wrestling with Denki whilst Iida and Eijiro egg them on. Hitoshi is sleeping with the coffee cups piled on top of him, courtesy of the rest of us. Todoroki is stacking excess plastic cups left over with Mina. Kacchan is sitting a branch below me.

I look down to him and slowly slip onto his branch. He turns to me but doesn't say anything. I sit beside him, giving him some space to drop if need be.

After a few minutes of silence, he turns to me again with a frustrated frown gracing his features.

"Who are you?" I balk.

"Straight to the point I guess. My name is Izuku Midoriya. Or, as you may or may not recall, Deku." His hand slams down onto the branch, shaking it violently. I reach for the nearest thing to steady myself; his arm. He pulls me closer.

"I knew you looked fucking familiar! I remember you! But at the same time I fucking don't fucking remember you at all!" He pushes his hands through his hair, tugging at the roots and I cringe. That must hurt.

"Don't pull at your hair." I place his arms back by his side. "Are you okay?" He looks me in the eyes and his crimson glare widens with disbelief.

"You're still a goddamn worrywart. What the fuck, Deku?" He shakes me slightly. I put my hands over his.

"How much do you remember?" He shakes his head slightly.

"Not enough. Pretty much nothing after the age of six until around nine. Why? What happened? I mean I remember being a dick to you, and god am I fucking sorry for that Deku! But, I don't remember you leaving! Did you fucking leave? Did you tell me you were fucking leaving?!" I shake my head.

"I didn't leave, Kacchan! You just don't remember!" I take a deep breath in. "But. I can show you why you forgot me." He nods his head fervently.

My arm shakes as I lift it to the tree trunk. As I wave my hand near it, a small piece breaks off, exposing the insides of the tree. It's fresh and slightly moist, nowhere near death.

He watches as the chunk floats around him, changing shape completely. His eyes widen and a hint of a smile forms. I smile slightly but remember his face and the terror in his eyes when he saw the blood. The blob of contorting matter starts to freak out, but I remember his hand. He held out his hand to me. He wanted to help me.

I face him.

"Kacchan. I need you to remember. I need you to remember whether or not you can trust me." He shakes his head slightly.

Katsuki Bakugou

She's beautiful like this. God fucking shit! She's saying something but I can't even pay attention. Her Quirk is so unique and powerful! Why did I ever bully her? Why was I so cruel? Fuck it! Even if she was Quirkless, she's so...special.

Suddenly, the matter above my head combusts and I'm hit with a stampede of memories. It's almost as if someone opened a floodgate.

Blood, so much blood. Hers, mine? An animal's. On more than one occasion. Her Quirk. Oh god. Is this what I made her do?

"Did I do this to you?" I voice my thoughts. "Did I make you feel unsafe around even yourself?" I shove my head into my hands, my body swinging dangerously on the branch. "Oh god Deku I'm so sorry!" I feel her hands on my shoulder, but I bat her away. Her gasp is enough to scare me. But before I realize it, I'm falling.

It's pretty high up from the ground. I don't think I'll get out of this without a few broken bones. Shit.

Her scream seems to slow time itself, I look at her and there are tears in her wide eyes. This scene looks familiar. Her face looks like it did when we were younger and she used her Quirk. I need to help her. But how?

Before I can even think of moving, the ground swallows me up and darkness overcomes me. In the literal sense. I'm inside somewhere dark. I can't move, but it sort of feels like I'm moving around in jelly.

I can feel her footsteps before they even near me. This is fucking strange.

"Kacchan! Oh my god! You got swallowed up by the ground! What do I do? Oh god, oh god!" I feel the ground start to liquefy even more and her arms wrap around my torso, dragging me out of the pit.

"W-what the fuck just happened?" She doesn't answer me, but instead holds me to her tighter. "Deku...you just saved me." She pulls away, already shaking her head, but I shut her up.

"You fucking saved me. Deku, don't think anything else. You saved me from having multiple broken bones." Her eyes shine with unshed tears and I feel like hugging her.

I remember what she was trying to ask me earlier. "I trust you Dek-Izuku. I trust you with my life." She nods her head firmly before bursting into tears again and grabbing at my shirt to hug me.

"Thank you Kacchan."


	7. Chapter Seven: Winning or Losing

**℘Chapter Seven: Winning or Losing℘**

 _Sports Festival_  
Over the past week, I've been training harder than ever. After what happened with Kacchan, I felt a little more at peace with my Quirk. So, in an attempt to gain more confidence I've been asking Hitoshi and Kacchan to sit in on my Quirk training. Whenever someone is nearby, I feel nervous about using my Quirk so I can only imagine how this last test is going to fan out.

One-on-one battles until there is only one victor. It's terrifying. I can't help but let the dread build up in my system. My first fight is with Hitoshi. It shouldn't be too hard. As long as I don't say a word. But, if I win then my next fight will be with either Sero or Todoroki. Todoroki and I have gotten closer since I met class 1A, but I can tell he doesn't really trust me. He's too suspicious of my relationship with All Might.

My thoughts halt as Present Mic announces that the first battle will be underway in five minutes. My heart lurches and rests in my throat. I'm up first. At least it's with someone I know. Hitoshi and I normally spar, so I can gauge his physical strength from those fights.

I stand up and make my way down the hallway toward the rest rooms. As I open the door, a hand slams into my back. I stumble forward and whip around to see Kacchan standing in the doorway. A smile builds over my nerves and I raise a hand.

"Hey Kacchan." He grunts softly and pushes me aside so he can walk into the room.

"I'm only here to tell you something, then I'm going back to the fucking stands." I nod my head slowly. He kicks the leg of the metal table and I cringe as it grates on the concrete ground. He turns to me and shoves his hands in his pockets.

"I don't care if you're scared, Izuku. I want you to use your Quirk on me. When we fight, don't fucking hold back. If you do, you can consider thing little fucking friendship of our over. I don't fucking tolerate weakness and if you're weak, I'll fucking drop you. So when we fucking get up there and fight - because we will - go all out. Got it, Deku?" My eyes water slightly and a grin splits my lips.

"I'll make sure I win so that we can fight. I mean it!" Kacchan nods his head and briskly walks out of the room.

I place a hand over my heart and feel myself blush. To anyone else, that would've sounded insulting and downright cruel. But in reality, that was Kacchan hyping me up. He wants me to beat everyone else so that we can fight. He wants me to do well.

As Present Mic calls for Hitoshi and I to make our way out, courage fills me to the brim. I slap my cheeks slightly and jog out in to the stadium.

I stagger back from Hitoshi. I threw him. Out of bounds. I won. I turn and scan the crowd for that spiky, blond hair. I catch his eye and shoot him a wink. His face goes red and I giggle as he stands up and starts setting off explosions in the palms of his hands. With a small wave to him I turn back to Hitoshi and help him back onto his feet.

"Sorry about that, 'Toshi." He gives me a good natured smile and waves my worry off.

"Nah, good job Izu. But you'll probably have to fight that ice guy." I nod my head.

"Yeah, but I'm not too nervous now." We walk back to our seat after getting Hitoshi and myself checked over by Recovery Girl.

The fights are all intense and it leaves every person in the stadium on the edge of their seats. It isn't long after Kacchan's fight that I'm leaving my seat to fight Todoroki. My nerves are coming back and I feel sweat along my hairline. I reach the cement stage and wait for Present Mic to screech "begin".

My head is pounding. I can't feel my arms, they must be broken. My eyes open and all I can see is rubble. We did that. As I sit up slowly, my muscles seize and I let out a scream of pain. I must have pinched a few nerves. I can't move. My body is rigid and I feel hot tears stream down my face. I can't move my head to assess the damage done to my body; all I can do is wait for help.

It's not long before the smoke clears and someone has their arms around me. I'm picked up gently and transported to the recovery centre. Someone kneads into my back and feeling rushes back into my body. I let out a relieved moan and uncurl my body. I attempt to sit up again and look around the infirmary. All Might is sitting next to my bed and Recovery Girl is watching me.

"W-where's Todoroki?" My voice is rough and it scratches against my throat as I speak. All Might sighs and point behind him.

"He is in the bed behind me. He is injured a lot worse than you, Izuku. I'm honestly so proud of you. You've come so far since we first met and you've developed One For All quicker than I thought you would. You're nowhere near 100%, but you're passed 10% now." He placed a hand on my ankle and gives it a gentle squeeze.

I feel tears in my eyes again and I smile at him. "Thanks Toshinori! But I need to know, who won the fight?" My eyes glimmer with hope and All Might's grin returns.

"You did, young Izuku." I go to hug him, but my arms protest against it. I look down and cringe. Bandaged. At least they're not in casts like other times.

All Might understands what I want and reaches over to pull me into a gentle hug. "You have made me a proud mentor, Izuku." I grin up at him and hug him tight.

Recovery Girl interrupts us with a stern smile. "Yagi, get out of here so she can rest while I heal her wounds." He stands up and sends us both a large smile and a wave goodbye.

I turn to Recovery Girl and she pulls me closer by my shoulders. Her lips land on my forehead and I smile as I feel the injuries mending. She leans back and bumps me on the head with the giant syringe.

"Thank you very much."

"I don't want to see you injured for a long while, young missy." I nod my head and sit up, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. The world spins for a moment and I stand up slowly. As I step toward Todoroki's bed, the door bursts open.

"Where the fuck is that shitty Deku?!" I turn to the door and see Kacchan, tall, proud and furiously worried. My heart beats faster as his eyes scan the room and soon lock onto me. He strides towards me, his feet banging against the ground like small earthquakes.

"You!" He raises his hands, his steps quicker than before. I give him a smile and meet him halfway.

"Heya Kacchan!" I watch as his arm swings around and I flinch slightly, expecting him to punch me. But the hit never comes. Instead, his arm wraps around me, tugging me into his chest. I freeze for a moment before I realize that Kacchan is actually hugging me.

"I thought you'd fucking died. So much smoke, I could barely see if you were moving! Then the fucking paramedics take you here. I was so goddamn fucking scared you piece of shit! I just found you and then you pull something like that? God you make me angry." His eyes are burning with emotion and I stare up at him. He looks so sad, buried beneath his anger and fear.

"I'm sorry Kac-" Before I can comprehend what's happening, his lips are on mine. I can't move. I wasn't expecting this at all. I mean, I won't lie, Kacchan is very attractive and I've had a slight crush on him for a long time. But, I'd never thought that he might feel something for me.

His lips push fervently against mine, trying to pull out a reaction. I slowly feel my body melt against his. This foreign feeling is starting to fade and it leaves a comfortable swell in my chest. I wrap my arms around his neck and tug him closer to me, down to my height.

His tongue traces my bottom lip and I try to think back to every romance novel, magazine or movie I've read or watched. How did they kiss? It was always passionate, heated and filled with tongue. I spread my lips slightly and not a moment later, I feel his tongue sliding into my mouth. It's hot and wet, and god I've never felt so excited in my life.

As his tongue glides with mine, a moan finds its way out of me and into the open room. I flush with embarrassment and try to pull away, but Kacchan keeps a firm grip on me. His lips and tongue are incessant, like if we stop kissing, he'll die.

I give in for a moment, just relishing in the passionate way he kisses and holds me tight against himself. But then it's ruined. A pained groan from Todoroki allows me enough leverage to pull my mouth from Kacchan's. The blond boy immediately tries to reconnect our lips, but I push him away gently with my hand.

"I uh...why?" I look into his eyes and ask softly.

"No fuckin reason." His voice is also soft and I smile.

"Well, if you ever wanna do that again, there's gotta be a real good reason. Like for example, if you liked me?" I bat my eyelashes and smirk as his face gets even redder.

"Fuck off shitty deku." There's no malice in his words and I revel in this feeling of happiness.

"Anyway about the battle. Who are we up to?" I'm curious. I want to know how long until my next battle.

"The next fight is to decide third place, then it's me and you." His eyes pick up a playful glint and I giggle as his hand glides over my cheek and pinches it for a moment. "Don't forget what I said earlier, alright Deku?" With that, he walks out of the room, waving and shoving his hands into his pockets.

I only have to wait around 20 minutes until Present Mic is announcing that the final fight is starting. My hands are sweating. I can't feel my legs as I make my way outside into the arena. The wind blows through my curly hair and I throw a hand over my eyes to shield them from the glaring sun. I take a deep breath and stride up the steps, into the fighting area.

Kacchan stands before me, his trademark smirk on full display. I throw him a small wave and he responds with a wink and a bite of his lip. I feel my cheeks heat up and I avert my gaze. What the fuck.

I'm startled into my fighting stance when Present Mic loudly screams "begin". Kacchan doesn't waste a moment, and immediately jumps towards me. His fists are behind him, letting off explosions to propel him forward. As he nears me, I let my foot fly into his face with a strong kick. It knocks him to the ground and the air is pushed around from the force. I watch as he stands back up, wiping a small trail of blood from his mouth.

His eyes are wide with confusion. "What the fuck, Deku?" I grin and raise my fists, my body glowing with feint green patterns. His eyes narrow, knowing that this isn't going to be as easy as he first thought.

"Come get me, Kacchan." I taunt and as he raises his fist, I dodge and throw my own. But my punch is blocked and he set an explosion off right in my face. I shield my face from the flame and jump back. A series of explosions go off above me and I look up. Kacchan is falling down toward me, explosions coming with him. I throw a punch to knock him away, but he shoves my arm away and lets off an explosion on my elbow.

I let out a pained yell and cradle my elbow to my chest. He shows no restraint in his blows. His words from earlier echo in my mind. Use my Quirk...no. I'll win this without my original Quirk.

Kacchan's face is littered with stray concern for me but I wave him off. "Don't get shy, Kacchan."

"Hah? I should be saying that to you, Deku! Why don't you use the Quirk you're better with?" I shake my head. I run toward him and aim a kick at his legs, hoping to knock him off his feet. He dodges it and explode the area my feet are standing on. The cement cracks and breaks into chunks. I pick one up and throw it into the air, then kick it toward where Kacchan is standing. He doesn't even blink as he explodes the cement chunk. I shield my face from the small pieces of exploded cement.

I can't keep going like this. I'm tired and my muscles are still sore from my previous fights. Kacchan is getting angry as well.

"Use it Deku! I swear to fucking god, you shitnerd! Use your goddamn Quirk!" I grit my teeth and slam my hands onto the ground. Just a little bit.

The concrete bends around where Kacchan is standing and the concrete floor starts to lower and spread upwards, in a sort of cage. Kacchan is quick to fly out using his explosions. I rip my hands from the floor and I feel my sanity slipping slightly from how tired I am. I shake my head, forcing myself to concentrate. An idea hits me in this moment of insanity. Grab his explosion. Take it.

Thinking about it a bit more, I can't really take his explosion, so I take the next best thing. Kacchan's Quirk works by igniting the nitroglycerin sweat he produces. If I take the sweat, I take his ability to produce large explosions. I rake my gaze over Kacchan's body and raise my hands slightly higher. He's running towards me, so I have to act quick.

I swipe my hand from right to left and watch as the sweat that had been lying all over Kacchan's skin quickly forms a large, floating ball of murky liquid. Kacchan doesn't notice it and look at the giant goblets filled with fire. Another idea strikes me, and in the back of my mind I know it's dangerous, so so dangerous. But, I'm losing my grip on reality. I just want to lay down, maybe kiss Kacchan again. I want to see my mum, and Toshinori again.

I move one of my arms from in front of the liquid, and move it over to the fire. I beckon the fire with my being. I force it to comply and watch as it moves fluidly towards us. Kacchan has finally noticed what I'm doing. His eyes are wide, and for the first time since we were six, I see a hint of fear in his crimson gaze.

"Deku, don't." I ignore Kacchan. It'll be okay. It's just an explosion. Enough to knock him out of the arena. Enough so that I can win and this will be over. The fire reaches me and I push it to meet with the nitroglycerin that had slowly made it's way to the ground. As soon as they meet, a loud and blinding bang sounds. I feel the explosion throw me away, but I manage to catch myself with some of the concrete by turning it into a soft wall. The only thought that runs through my head now is that Kacchan might not be alive. He could be dead. It's all my fault. That wasn't what I wanted to happen.

It's not long before the entire stadium is filled with smoke, and fires blaze, spreading over the grass. I'm picked up by Cementoss and I cling to him for dear life, my lung trying to rid themselves of the thick smoke. "I-I'm sorry." The hero shakes his head and continues walking until we reach the infirmary. Twice within two hours, a new record.

Recovery Girl isn't happy to see me at all. "I thought we agreed that you wouldn't be in here for a while." I look down at the floor and apologize. The elderly woman shakes her head and instructs Cementoss to place me onto a bed so she can asses the damage. The pro hero leaves soon after and I grit my teeth as I think about Kacchan. Where is he?

The door bursts open, and just like that, all my worries are answered.

"You fucking piece of shit this is twice now. Not even two hours apart. I swear to fucking everything holy I will kill you if you do some shit like this again." He strides over to where I'm sitting and grabs my face. He presses a kiss to my lips and I reciprocate, nearly completely forgetting that Recovery Girl is right next to me.

A bump on the head reminds me though. I pull away from Kacchan with a guilty smile and turn to face the healer. "You'll have to go to a hospital. I'm suited to physical injuries or wounds, not smoke inhalation." She turns around and strides to her desk to grab the phone.

Kacchan turns to me and slams his fist down onto my head. "What were you fucking thinking? Goddamn Deku!" Tears drip down my cheeks slowly and I look at the ground.

"I-I wasn't thinking, Kacchan. I just wanted it to be over." He glares at me and grabs my chin to force me to look at him.

"Well next time, fucking think goddamnit." I'm about to respond when All Might barges into the room with a less than pleased smile on his face.

"Young Izuku. What in the world were you thinking? I know I told you to tell people that 'you are here', but that was too far." I drop my head even further.

"I'm sorry All Might." He rests a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm also very proud of you, upset, but proud. You worked through your fear and used your Quirk. I'm unsure if young Bakugou has told you yet, but you were not out of bounds, whilst he was. So, in turn, you won, my girl." My vision swims as I take in this information. I look at Kacchan and he's pouting at the wall to his left. He's avoiding my gaze.

"Thanks All Might. Could I have a moment alone with Kacchan?" The hero nods and leaves without question.

I look at Kacchan again and grin. He yelps when I pull him down on top of me. I fist my hands into his spiky hair and scratch gently at the scalp. His face flushes and a peaceful look settles on his handsome features.

"So. I won, did I?" He groans and shoves his face into my stomach.

"Fuck you." I grin.

"Maybe later." His head shoots up with a deep blush on his cheeks. "You reckon they'll let me into 1A?"

"They'd be stupid not to. You took first place in two of the tests. You're the strongest first year." I smile up at him and preen as he tucks a few stray curls behind my ear.

His eyes are heated and I can't look away. "Can I kiss you, Deku?" His voice is husky and low. It sends shivers down my spine.

"Only if you like me. Because I like you and-" he cuts me off with a gentle kiss. His lips leave mine and I whine softly.

"I like you, shitty Deku."

I squeal loudly and throw my arms around his neck. I sit up and force him backwards until he's lying on his back.

"This means you're my boyfriend. No take-backs." He splutters and I smile. This is good. I never really thought I'd get to be with Kacchan.

"Deku." His tone is serious and it confuses me. We're talking about light-hearted things now, so why is he so solemn? "You didn't use your Quirk because you've gotten over your fear, did you?"

Oh. I don't really want to talk about that right. "Not really, no." I wring my hands and glance up at him.

His eyes are hard, but they soften slightly as he speaks. "You need to get over this fear of your Quirk. You'll never be a hero if you can't utilize your full power." I nod my head. Kacchan is right.


	8. Chapter Eight

**℘Chapter Eight - A Redhead, Condoms and a Ring℘**

Twelve Years Later  
"Jesus fucking Christ, Deku. I had him where I fucking wanted him. But you just had to fucking fuck me up by running in!" Katsuki runs his hands through his pale blond hair and tugs at the roots. I slap his hand away and grin up at him.

"Don't get pissy, Kacchan. We won. We saved the civilians. That's all that matters. It doesn't matter who takes down the bag guy; we've been through this." His crimson eyes meet mine and I shiver. Even after having been his partner for just shy of a decade, his attractiveness still affects me.

He knocks his shoulder into mine as he passes me, but it's not meant with any ill-intent. I shoot him a smile as he turns his head to face me whilst he walks. His hand slowly falls behind him and extends towards me. I jog up to him and discretely take it. We walk passed the flashing cameras and I shoot the journalists a tired smile. Kacchan pushes me away slightly and motions for me to jump.

I bend my legs and shoot into the air, Katsuki right beside me, explosions firing behind him. We land on a far away rooftop and quickly make our way into the building. Kacchan looks back at me and gives me a slight smirk. He stops in front of a door and kicks it open. It slams loudly against the wall and I follow him into the room, confused.

A large man with bright red hair is sitting down, nursing a mug off hot chocolate. He turns to us as Katsuki loudly makes his presences known.

"Eijirou?!" My eyes widen and I grin widely as his face mirror's my look of shock. I take a small step towards him and in an instant, his mug is set down, he's up and his muscly arms are around me. His hug is comforting and I can't help but let loose a few tears.

"It's been quite awhile, Deku." His voice is happy. I pull away and grin up at him.

"It really has! I haven't seen or heard from you since graduation. Kaminari as well." Kirishima flushes slightly when the blond is mentioned and at that moment, a door to the right hits the wall with a slam.

"Okay babe, I know you prefer the vanilla flavour, but we only have chocolate condoms. I can run to the corner store if you-" Kacchan, Kirishima and I all turn to stare at Kaminari as he walks into the room, holding a string of condom packets. His voice cuts off as soon as he sees Katsuki and I. Kacchan is quick to grab my hand and yank me into his chest. Kaminari throws the condoms out of the open window on instinct and lunges over to the couch.

"Oh h-hey guys. Good to see you. Been a long time, aye? Have any kids yet?" My cheeks flush and Kastuki growls lowly behind me.

"Haha, no, not yet Denki." Everybody in the room freezes and I mentally face-palm. Fuck.

"Yet?" Eijirou pipes up and I refrain from punching him. "You guys getting busy when you're not on the job? Heh." Kacchan holds out a hand and gives Kirishima the stink eye.

"I came here to get it off you. Now give it." The redhead nods and pulls a small, wooden - an intricately carved - box out of his jacket pocket. He gently places it in Katsuki's outstretched palm. I ogle the box with a dreamy sigh and Kacchan thrusts it into his pocket.

"What is that?" My blond partner grabs my wrist gently and tugs me out of the apartment, giving me a second to say farewell. "Where are we going?" He grunts roughly and once we reach a secluded corner of the building, throws me against a wall. His hand slam beside my head. His lips aggressively catch mine and I melt into him. It isn't often that Kacchan shows this much affection towards me. I lap it up like a thirsty animal. My hands go to his chest and start tracing patterns onto the skin showing through his costume.

He pulls himself off me and digs out the pretty, little box from just before. "Marry me." It isn't a question, nor a request, it's a demand. And who am I to disobey?

"I'd love to." His eyes fill with mirth and I giggle as he pulls me away from the wall and into a dip. His lips press into my costume clad stomach and I look at him adoringly. I've been waiting so long for this day.

He moves me so I'm standing and I lock lips with him again. My hands find their way into his spiky hair and I tug. I pull away.

"Where's my ring?" He tries to kiss me again, but I keep him away. "Gimme." Kacchan Huffs and opens the box. It's simple, but still so beautiful. Silver band, with small diamonds swirling around the top. A slightly larger ruby sits in amongst them, glittering prettily. I swipe it from the box and slip it onto my finger. A perfect fit. I look up at Kacchan and smile through the fresh tears.

"Thank you." He responds with a gentle kiss to both my eyes and soft whisper.

"I love you, Izuku."

"I love you too, you big goon!"

* * *

A/N: I'm currently writing a wedding/smut oneshot for this fic, so look forward to it ^^


End file.
